The wooden church at Rogoz stands in the Lăpuș country, a quieter, lesser-known corner of Maramureș, south of the mountains and away from the main tourist circuits. Built in the seventeenth century and dedicated to the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel, it is unusual in shape: the roof is asymmetric and overhangs deeply on one side, and the eaves are supported by carved wooden brackets shaped like horse heads, a detail that seems to come straight out of folk tradition. Inside, the walls are painted with scenes from the Bible, including a vivid Last Judgement. It is one of the eight churches in the UNESCO listing of the Wooden Churches of Maramureș.
The Lăpuș valley is green and gentle, with meadows, orchards and small villages. The Țibleș mountains rise to the east, covered in beech and spruce forests, with high pastures where shepherds spend the summer. The local people are known for their crafts, including pottery, wood carving and textiles, and for their festivals, when you can hear traditional music and see people in folk costumes.
The roads in the Lăpuș country are narrow and winding, often with potholes and patched surfaces, and they pass through villages where horse carts, cows and geese have the right of way. The road along the Lăpuș river is pleasant, with gentle curves and views of the valley, and the routes over the hills toward the Gutâi pass or into the Țibleș mountains are more challenging. Weather can be changeable, with summer storms and early snow in autumn.
Târgu Lăpuș, the main town of the area, has fuel, shops and restaurants, and Suciu de Sus, nine kilometres away, is a larger village. Rogoz and Dămăcușeni are small villages with basic shops. Ask in the village for the church key if it is locked; someone usually knows who has it. Local guesthouses serve hearty food: tochitură, a pork stew with polenta and egg, or mici, grilled minced-meat rolls, with mustard and a cold beer, best once the bike is put away for the night.